File this under WWIT?

Posted on May 31, 2008 by Suzanne

You have these project, I know you do.

The ones that don’t ever get finished and when you come across them make you think, What Was I THINKING???

dsc05673 File this under WWIT?

This ill-begotten afghan is at least 10 years old. It’s crochet. I think I have the book it came out of on my shelf somewhere should I ever want to refresh my memory on the pattern. I think it involved a lo tof treble crochets.

dsc05674 File this under WWIT?

The yarn is 98% acryclic, 2% poly. The texture of the yarn and the bobbles actually feel pretty nice, but oh dear lord, what was I thinking?

Right now it measures 18 by 86. I think the idea was to make it big enough to cover my 6’4″ husband. Smother him is more like it. Even with just this much done, the darn thing is quite heavy. I’d hate for him to be suffocated by it.

I remember having to go back and purchase additional yarn once I realized how much it would take to actually make it this size. I think there are as many as 4 skeins already used and there are ELEVEN more skeins in the tub.

Eleven. More.

I can’t decide if I should shove this back in the tub and back under the shelf (out of side, out of mind…) or if I need to figure out what to do with it. Any suggestions?

Any suggestions that don’t include finishing it?

TTFN-

Suzanne

Weather report, May 30

Posted on May 30, 2008 by Suzanne

What?!?!? You thought this blog was about QUILTING?

We have gotten FOUR and ONE HALF inches of rain in the last 24 hours.

Needless to say, Wolf Creek is out again. These pictures are all taken from right outside my back door, looking west. I shouldn’t be able to see ANY water, let alone all of this:

dsc05672 Weather report, May 30

And the mud. Look at how muddy that field is. Yuck.

dsc05671 Weather report, May 30

It’s hard to see at this size, but just about smack dab in the middle of this last picture is the tops of the fence that separates the pasture from the field. Pasture, field: not supposed to be lake bed.

dsc05670 Weather report, May 30

At least it isn’t snow.

Enough excitement for one day

Posted on May 29, 2008 by Suzanne

dsc05666 Enough excitement for one day

I went to put some lotion on my hands and realized that I was only wearing my mother’s ring. In the morning, I can’t always get my wedding ring on, so I often slip it on my pinky. I remembered picking up both rings, but had absolutely no recollection of anything regarding the rings after that.

There were almost tears, but I decided not to panic until I retraced my steps.

Apparently my wedding ring had slipped off when I was throwing clothes in the washer, as it tumbled out when I opened up the washer and started digging through the wet clothes.

With that disaster averted, I think I need a drink. Or a nap. The rest of the day should be all downhill.

I also think, looking at the photograph of my ring, that it is past due time to get it cleaned and buffed. Yikes.

I will say, that my day will be getting much brighter and more fun, as I’m expecting a fellow longarm quilter to visit me for several hours this afternoon! I even cleaned my longarm table off, brushed out the tracks and cleaned the wheels in honor of her visit.

In the meantime, though, while I wait? I think I’ll go lie down and recover from almost losing my ring.

p.s. Lynn? You don’t need to say “I told you so.” I could already hearing you saying it during my search.

Bribery works

Posted on May 28, 2008 by Suzanne

As a parent, I know I will occasionally need to bribe my kids (on occasion) in order to get them to do something. It is a trick I try not to overuse, because I know it will backfire on me. But sometimes, “eat your supper or you won’t get dessert” is the way to go.

Lately, I’ve resorted to bribing myself to get some work done on the computer.

Admittedly, it’s an odd sort of bribery, as my reward is actually “work” — just of a different sort: dsc056571 Bribery works

It all started a couple of days ago when I saw an antique Scrappy Double Irish Chain on one of the blogs I read. I can’t remember which one right now, or I’d link.

I thought “Ooooo…pretty….”

And then I wandered into my sewing room and discovered that I had a big hunk of a white background fabric I could use.

And then pulled out the bin of 1.5 inch scrap strips and started digging. I was going to go completely scrappy, but then I thought it would be fun to go with scrappy BLUES. Well, I didn’t have enough precut strips, so I had to dig through my (neatly) folded stash to find more blues.

And then I started cutting. Ironically, I managed to miscut the white fabric, cutting a bazillion more 3.5 inch strips than I needed, but I didn’t figure this out until after I had pulled out some other white fabric with which to make up what I needed in the 1.5 inch strips.

And then I’ve been sewing. And sewing. And sewing. It’s my reward, see, for getting stuff done on the computer.

Here are the blocks I have finished. It’s a terrible picture, but the lighting in there is not conducive to good picture-taking.

dsc05662 Bribery works
Did I mention the strips are 1.5 inch cut? Which means the blocks finish at 5 inches. Am I weird, or what?

I have enough cut to make 169 blocks, which will only wind up being 65 inches square. I’m having delusions about this possibly ending up as the background for applique. Or not. We’ll see.

It’s nice mindless sewing, which is what this quilter needs.

Just don’t tell my kids that I probably spend more time on my “reward” than I’m supposed to. “Just one more strip set….and then I’ll go back to work…”

Suzanne

Four wheels

Posted on May 28, 2008 by Suzanne

dsc05639 1 Four wheels

It’s an older 4-wheeler, purchased used. Runs great (I’m told). The boys took the Magic Erasers and a bucket of water out to work on cleaning it up. We’ll be headed to the store this weekend to purchase helmets and “other stuff.” They will be required to help with oil changes and other maintenance. And won’t be allowed to ride it without adult supervision.

dsc05642 Four wheels

Including today? Only 4 more days of school. Friday is Track and Field Day. Monday is….what do you do on a Monday that is the last day of school? Watch movies?

And then? It’s time for baseball, swimming lessons, and a family road trip. We’ve decided to DRIVE to Florida. Yup. Even with gas prices so high, it’s cheaper than flying the 4 of us, plus we’ll get to be more flexible, and will do some additional sight-seeing on the way to and from.

And now? Time for me to get to work.

Have a great Wednesday!

Suzanne